PERFECTLY CLEANED AND PRESSED WITH LEVINGERS

Originally limited to Gauteng, in recent years the brand has expanded its footprint with representation in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Limpopo. Levingers has recently revitalised their public image with an updated look and feel that is fresh, clean and sophisticated.  

What has seen the brand through the recent economic upheavals is the commitment of its key players, being Yadhir’s dad, Anil Mooloo, backed by a strategic team comprised of Prem Bhaktawer, Lawrence Zikalala, Sweetness Nandi and Rukshana Furmie.

When it comes to advertising, Levingers dominates its segment of the market. Whether you are searching for dry cleaning, laundry, shoe repair, leather restoration, key cutting or clothing alteration services, Levingers is always at the top of the Google suggestions list. In addition, Levingers is active on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and the brand has a regular presence in several magazines.

When asked about his tips for keeping a brand alive Yadhir answered, “In life everybody needs a boost from time to time. In business the boost comes from creating excitement with a want that is different from everyday life and, remember, we cannot achieve future exponential growth with yesterday’s advice.”

Including VIP, Proclean, Sandton Dry Cleaners, Boston Domestic, Hyde Park Dry Cleaners and Crystal Dry Cleaners, the Levingers network comprises 68 outlets.

When asked to what he ascribes the success of the concept, Yadhir is quick to point out quality; quality in all things, even his franchisees. In the service-driven environment in which they operate, customer relationships are the key to success. Franchisees must be prepared to commit to a daily and active interest in their business and remote-control operators are not tolerated. The number of Levingers franchisees who own multiple stores speaks volumes to the strength of the brand and the success of the model. 

Striving to assure the viability of their franchise outlets, the franchisor has negotiated contracts with such companies as The Pro Shop, Woolworths, Trenery, Country Road, Super Sport, Louis Vuitton, Kurt Geiger, Spitz, Bally, Gucci and Rage to handle their alteration and cobbling requirements. In addition to their standard dry cleaning and laundry services, Levingers also offers specialised garment cleaning, dying, shoe repair and key cutting services. 

In these economically trying times, when even well-established brands are feeling the squeeze as a price-conscious public is becoming increasingly picky about where they spend their pennies, Levingers has proven their mettle by carving a niche in both the low and high LSM categories. With the increasing trend towards repairing rather than replacing worn or damaged clothing and shoe items, Levingers restoration and repair services is a value-add that has resonated with both the higher and lower LSM classes. 

The franchisor provides ongoing training and the operations team oversees and enforces quality control across the network. In a business with many small cash transactions conducted daily, ‘under the counter’ transactions can be particularly problematic, so effective controls are vital. With franchisee profitability as a particular focus point for the franchisor, regular strategic assessments conducted by the Levingers operations team have been particularly effective in reducing the occurrence of ’off book’ transactions and boosting franchisee profitability.

Part of Yadhir’s greater vision for the Levingers brand is to be acknowledged as a truly environmentally friendly brand, a responsible corporate citizen and for the brand to be synonymous with great service and happy customers. 

Over the next 12 months Levingers will be opening a further 17 outlets. In order to service these sites effectively, two additional factories will be opened in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng and to keep up with technological developments the main Levingers factory will be undergoing a major revamp to become eco-friendlier.

Levingers is also currently in negotiations to conclude their first cross-border transaction and they aim to close at least five more cross-border transactions in the next seven years.

People purchase franchises for many reasons, not least off all because franchising is considered a ‘less risky’ way of starting a business. As a franchisee you should receive comprehensive training on the business model and everything you need to know to run the business, meaning that a lack of experience of a particular industry or market should not be a barrier to entry. From a marketing perspective, franchisors often provide support with the store launch and once the store is up and running, franchisees benefit from national advertising campaigns run by the franchisor. The other benefit of purchasing a franchise is transparency. The law compels franchisors to provide would-be franchisees with a Disclosure Document that contains all the information required to make an informed decision about the opportunity you are investigating. 

While fast food is often our first thought when we think of franchising, there is a vast range of B2B (business-to-business) franchises, from tutoring to signage, automotive, cleaning, personal training and personal and business services, that offers great opportunities for individuals with managerial experience and who are not interested in pursuing opportunities in the QSR industry. The extensive range of models range from car- or van-based concepts to home-based businesses and full turnkey operations that include premises, equipment and stock.

Taking the franchising route to entrepreneurship also means that you may be able to dictate the pace at which you make the transition from employed to self-employed. Depending on your circumstances, and what the franchisor allows, you might decide to run your new venture alongside your existing job until you are able to get your new venture established. 

For over 41 years Levingers has worked hard to create an effective, profitable business model. If you are interested in joining the Levingers franchise network and becoming part of the Levingers success story, the Levingers team look forward to helping you build your business and a significant future of your own. At Levingers they operate by a code of honour and they ensure that everyone in the network ‘plays the game’ the same way.

To deliver on their promise of specialised onsite shoe repairs and to ensure that customers receive the best possible services, each and every Levingers cobbler is hand chosen by Yadhir and all cobblers attend training once a year to ensure that they are qualified to deliver Levingers-worthy service. At their flagship store in Hyde Park, the cobbler in attendance works wonders with boots that are either too big or too small around the calf and is able to fix seemingly impossible problems with much-loved shoes.

Upholding the Levingers standard in all things means that menders employed by Levingers are highly qualified in all aspects of mending. They liaise with clients on a one-on-one basis to ensure that all their mending and alteration needs are met, so just like the cobblers, the menders attend yearly training to equip them with the skills to attend to customers' needs efficiently and effectively.